AS a Disability?

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CharmCityCrab, that was beautiful.

I think that quite a few teenagers with AS do end up going on the SEN (Special Educational Needs) list. They do get a lot of understanding as a result, but it depends on the school. Some schools just don't care, or only pretend to care in front of the inspectors.

In my case, I don't think it is a disability, merely a difference.

I say it's a disability but no way is it a gift

Everybody has AS in a different way. My AS is mostly a gift. I wouldn't be able to ace the sciences, have almost eidetic memory and learn pi to 220 d.p. without it.

I do!



I somewhat agree, solid, but I also think that AS is simply something that makes me feel "special"...

If I din't have it, I probably wouldn't be a member here at W.P. in the first place! !



"Different" isn't always Good, but when it comes to AS, "Different" IS often Good...

It is difficult for me to separate my AS from my life experiences,psychology and other genetic predispositions.All I know for sure is that "something" about me, keeps me from achieving as much as my "intelligence" would seem to indicate I am capable of achieving.I wish I knew what it was and knew how to "fix" it.I appear to be a pathological under-achiever.I am greatful that I have always liked learning,dont appear to need material items for self or other approval and some other traits which are generally connected with AS,but I wasnt blessed with any savant skills.Bummer.I am to high functioning to receive "aid" but to "disabled to do anything but menial jobs that are stressful,low paying and intellectually unrewarding.And still,I am better off then probably 90% of the rest of the world(economically).What a messed up world.

I have applied for it (Social Security), and I'm currently waiting for them to get back to me. If they deny me, then my psychologist has already gotten in touch with a lawyer friend of his who will help me appeal it.

I think it is a disability in the sense that it makes life difficult. This is only true because the majority of the population is NT. If most of the population were AS, I don't think it would be a disability at all. I think the world would be a better place if everyone were AS.

WOW, with what you said earlier, and your tag line, I wouldn't have expected you to say this!

HEY, I show a LOT of promise, if nothing else. My job has evolved from my interests, and I have been considered an expert for most of my career. I don't even want to say where I think I might be in a year, because I might be a little TOO positive. Without AS, I doubt I would be where I am. I might have been married, etc... But I doubt I would be happier at the moment.

In a way, AS is like the first ASCII computer. Communication problems, etc.... TODAY, almost every computer understands ASCII, and the EBCDIC computers had to adapt! ASCII was better, and is an asset, but was frowned on. That was the case ONLY because it was not popular! TODAY, it is THE code!

Frankly, a LOT of AS people SQUEAK BY on the really visable or bad symptoms. I am included there. I explained away most of my quirks through NT means. If not for the social quirks, it really would be nothing BUT a gift! If not for the early speaking, sensory skewing, and the fact that my quirks so often match some diagnosed people here, I would STILL be explaining it away by NT means.

Steve

It really depends on how you think of the condition; for instance, a Special Education teacher will regard it as a pathology and only look at the negative attributes of Asperger's Syndrome.

You could say that about any disability though. If no one in the world had legs, then the world would be made to accommodate the legless.

I've just read through this entire thread. I'm not sure what to think. I do believe that for some people AS does cause them severe enough problems to be concidered disabled. Perhaps, each Aspie should decide if use the label "disabled" who enable them to obtain the understanding or accomodation nessisary to succeed. I was not diagnosed until I was 23 and 3.5 weeks away from graduating and being done with school forever, but had I been diagnosed sooner I would probably have requested some acomodations in school such as having a note taker. IF that would have required going through the Office of Student Diablity Services (or whatever it's called) and be concidered disabled, I probably would have done it. Perhaps then insted of just barely muddlinjg through, I could have achieved a higher GPA and learned more from leactures instead of panicing over trying to take notes and remember everything.

That's right. It has it's "pluses," though. I can't really think of a plus for blindness, for instance. It's true that in a world of the blind, it would be less of a disability, I can't think of any way in which it can be considered a plus.

Maybe it should be thought of in evolutionary terms. If this AS is a variation in the human genome, and it has it's pluses, then it may not be a disability at all, just an evolutionary variation. If AS becomes dominant, it is a successful variant. If not, an unsuccessful one. An unsuccessful adaptation may be considered a disability by those who have the more successful adaptation. What do you think?

The sad thing is that when I practically STARTED school, I knew I was developing MUCH faster than the other kids. I LOVED learning, was tenacious, etc.... By the time I got access to what I wanted, etc... My development had slowed down a lot, and I was bored silly. Others were starting to catch up. Ironically, since I have remembered more of where I was, realized my depression has roots in denying that, and realizing I may have a lot more untapped potential, etc... I am trying to develop skills I wanted to develop when I was a little KID, and was far more able to. Oh well, it is a good idea for ANYONE to keep studying, etc...

MAYBE, if everyone really KNEW what was up, they could have accomodated me. That would have been NICE!

Steve

Supposedly your other sense heighten in sensitivity when you're blind, and that could be a plus, but that's just what I've read/heard. I'm not blind, so I don't really know.

I'm not arguing with you though because there are a lot of disabilities that I cant' see an upside to. I can't think about anything good about being a quadriplegic.

Actually, blind is blind! Mnemosyne is right that you MIGHT get better elsewhere, but blind is blind! With AS, it means you are less likely to understand NT people. That isn't much of a disability unless you want to understand them, etc... Of course, if they claim again that I flash the wrong signals, I have even MORE reason to say LOOK, I am NOT a firefly, so don't expect me to flash ANY signals!

Steve